Third Attempt by Jordanians to Kidnap Israelis Fails

The third attempt in two days by Jordanians to kidnap Israelis failed again today when a police patrol extricated three Israelis who had been trapped by gunfire while working on a field near the border. The incident, which occurred within 30 hours of two previous attempts aimed at tractor drivers, took place near Yarchiv in the central area.

The successive Jordanian kidnap attempts were regarded here as an effort to exert pressure against Israel to return a Jordanian farmer captured Thursday in a smuggling foray. They were also considered acts designed to maintain or restore Jordanian prestige in the Arab world damaged by Egyptian and Syrian propaganda changes of secret. Jordanian talks with Israel.

A joint Israel-Jordan investigation in the presence of United Nations observers today established that the Jordanian infiltrator seized near Taybeh village was well inside Israel territory, it was announced here today. The investigation was carried on in the presence of the infiltrator who reconstructed the incident attending his capture, which showed he was actually working on land inside Israel territory.

The investigation also established that the Israel patrol which was fired on by Jordanians after the infiltrator’s capture did not cross the border, as charted by Jordan. but remained inside Israel territory.

Israel officials meanwhile opened an investigation into the identities of two Israelis reported by Jordan as having been killed while hiking near Petra in Jordanian territory, Bodies of the hikers were scheduled to be turned over to Israel officials at Elath Petra, as an attraction for adventuresome young Israelis, has cost the lives of 20 such youth since statehood, officials said.